Freezer
by Tivaau
Summary: Tony and Ziva end up locked in a walk in freezer. Spoilers for season nine and ten, so I suggest watching these before continuing. Rated T to be safe (possibly for future chapters) Has the potential to become a two chapter fic, so if you want me to continue, drop it in a review. Thanks!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **Okay, so I originally received a drabble request from someone on Tumblr a month or two ago, and I only just remembered that it was still in my ask box. So I spent some time on it last night, and it turned out a bit longer than what I anticipated. And from what I've written, I feel like there should be another chapter to this. So let me know in a review if you want me to continue with this piece. Thank you!

**Disclaimer: **Disclaimed.

Freezer

"Clear!" Tony set his gun back in its holster as he examined the cool metal room.

"Clear!" Ziva's voice echoed through the empty warehouse as she secured the east side of the building.

He strode over to the far side of the freezer where a large, silver cylinder stood humming in the corner. He stopped in front of it, peering into the foggy glass window just above eye-level. Pulling his jacket sleeve over his hand, he wiped the mist from the glass. He jumped back in shock as a pair of steely blue eyes stared back at him.

"Hey, Zi. You'll wanna see this!" He leaned around the back of the cylinder, hoping to find a handle to open it with.

The click of Ziva's heels filled the silence of the room as she entered it, stopping by Tony's side.

"Is that-"

"Lieutenant Michael Sanders." Tony kept searching for some sort of handle or lever that would open the container.

"We just spoke with him less than three hours ago!"

"Well, I guess someone wasn't happy about that. Look." He pointed his finger to the mouth of the Lieutenant.

"His lips have been sewn together." Ziva leaned closer to the window to see if there was anything else unusual about him.

"Aha! Found the little bugger." The soft hiss of air sounded as the seal of the container was finally broken.

Tony and Ziva both stepped back from the cylinder as the door slowly sung open.

"That's a lot of blood." Tony winced as he followed the trail of blood that lead from Sanders' mouth to his abdomen, where a large gash covered his bare chest.

"Probably caused by the killer threading the needle through his mouth whilst he was still alive… and conscious." Ziva stepped forward and put a hand to the Lieutenant's forehead. "Tony…" Her brows furrowed in realisation as she reached behind her for Tony's wrist, placing his hand next to hers.

"He's still warm."

"Meaning whoever killed him was just here." They shared a look of concern whilst Tony grabbed his cell and called Gibbs.

"Hey Boss, it's DiNozzo. You're not going to like what we've found." Ziva watched Tony as he mindlessly wandered around the storage container-turned freezer, explaining to Gibbs what they had discovered.

She sighed and ran a hand through her hair in frustration. Just a few hours ago they had questioned Sanders about the rape and murder of Petty Officer Amanda Scully, and now he was dead in a freezer with his mouth sewn shut. They hadn't come to this warehouse intentionally. The team was invited to a Military gathering to celebrate the return of a special operations marine squad, which the late Petty Officer was a member of. Of course, they weren't there to celebrate. The team was working on a low profile, trying to get some information about the Petty Officer's demise. Their main suspect, Lieutenant Jason Shields, was in attendance at this gathering. So Tony and Ziva were assigned the task of keeping a close eye on him throughout the night, and if Gibbs gave them the go ahead, they'd bring him in for questioning at the end of the night.

Fifteen minutes ago, however, Lieutenant Shields slipped out the back door and headed for the warehouse just a few blocks from the celebration. She and Tony followed the Lieutenant, only to loose him once he entered the premises.

So that's how they got here; standing shoulder to shoulder in an industrial freezer in front of the dead body of Lieutenant Sanders. Tony in a wonderfully fitted dark blue suit and matching tie, and Ziva in a short sleeved, teal green silk dress. They definitely were not dressed for what turned out to be a leg race through the back streets of D.C.

"Cell reception is pretty weak down here. I could barely understand what Gibbs was saying. But from what I could make out, he's calling Palmer to come and collect the body for autopsy." Tony flipped his phone shut and slipped it into the pocket of his pants.

"Lieutenant Shields is probably long gone by now. We should head back to the Navy yard."

"Good thinking, ninety-nine."

Ziva flapped her hands and pointed to Tony when she finally remembered the television reference. "Be Smart!"

"Close, but no cigar. It's _Get Smart_." He smiled down at her and placed his hand on the small of her back as they began towards the exit of the walk in freezer.

"Close enough." Ziva returned his smile.

They were only a few metres from the doorway when Lieutenant Shields appeared from behind a group of crates that was stacked right outside of the freezer.

"Federal Agents, stop and put your hands where I can see 'em!" Tony shouted as he reached for his gun. Ziva ran forwards, but it was too late. The Lieutenant had sprung forward and slammed the heavy steel door in her face. The sound of metal shifting against metal confirmed her prediction that they were being locked inside the freezer.

"Hey! Lieutenant Shields! Open this door before I break though it and snap your neck!" Tony hit the door with his fist and fiddled with the handle, but it was of no use. They were trapped in that freezer with little-to-no cell reception until Palmer arrived. And seeing as he lived in the other side of town, they wouldn't be rescued for at least another forty-five minutes.

Ziva leaned her back against the door and slid down it until she was sitting on the cold, hard floor.

"Missed it by _that much._" Her defeated tone filled the silence as Tony walked over to her. He stood over her, eyes beaming as he slid off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders, joining her on the floor. "Thank you." She smiled sweetly at him and hugged his jacket closer to her, the warmth of his body heat lingering inside the jacket. He had the biggest, goofiest smile plastered on his face, and Ziva had no idea why. "What are you so happy about, Tony?"

"Your 'Get Smart' reference was perfectly timed, that's all." He smiled down at her and gave her a gentle nudge with his side before he stood and made his way back over to the Lieutenant's body. He lifted his left hand and placed it over the Lieutenant's glassy blue stare, closing his eyelids.

Ziva got up and stood behind his right shoulder. "Are you okay?" She placed a tentative hand on his shoulder blade which slid to his bicep as he turned to face her.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just a shame to see him dead. He was a nice guy, you know? Pretty wife, two loving kids. All he needed was a white picket fence and he'd be living the American Dream." He smiled sadly at her.

She hated to see him like this. Although it was rare, it did happen. And every time a case affected him like this, he would just slap on a smile and try to get through the day. Some evenings she would offer to keep him company, sharing dinner and a movie with him to take his mind off the past day's events. But there were always times when she knew he just needed time to himself, to think about everything that had happened. Time to pull himself back together.

"I know, Tony. What Shields did was terrible, and it can never be taken back. But we need to keep a level head, we need to move on. Because if we let every case affect us like this, then we are never going to get our jobs done. We will never be able to catch the monsters that do this to people." She slid her hand down his bicep to meet his own.

She watched his eyes lock on to hers; those wonderful green, calming eyes that she sought solace in countless times. And every one of those times he accepted her; he comforted her and reassured her that everything was going to be alright. So now it was her turn. Now she was the one to comfort Tony; to help him through this. And even though this case didn't seem like the type that would usually cause him this much grief, she was now his rock, his pillar. She was now _his_. And she would do whatever it took to help him through whatever was causing him this trouble. Because she knew that it wasn't just this case that was causing him so much distress. It was likely that this case was the trigger, or the final straw, to push him over the proverbial edge. And later, she would get to what was really the cause of his discomfort. But for now, they were smack bang in the middle of a case. And she knew that talking to him now, trying to get to the bottom of his problems, was not a good idea. No, not at all. Because that could, and most likely would, jeopardise their working relationship. Albeit, maybe only for a day or two, but those days could be crucial, and messing up then could potentially take them back to square one. No trust. No faith. No partnership. And she sure as hell did not want that to happen. So she squeezed his hand gently and gave him a reassuring smile, which he returned. She watched as he reached into his pocket with his other hand and pulled out his cell to check the time.

"We're going to be here for a while; may as well make ourselves comfortable." They both took a seat on the floor and leant back against the wall.

Ziva's thoughts began to drift back to what Tony had confided in her the week before.

'_It's like half of my brain is still stuck in that elevator.'_

That sentence burrowed itself into her mind, replaying over and over like a broken record.

The _elevator_. Her thoughts took a turn into the direction of the conversations they held in that elevator only a couple of months earlier.

'_We slipped.' She stood, moulded to his side as she regained her balance._

'_Did we? I thought the Earth moved.' Her eyes struggled to leave his lips._

'_You're sweating.'_

'_It's hot in here.'_

'_I had not noticed.' _

'_Really?' He raised his hand and brushed a few stray hairs from her face, causing a content smile to grace her features. _

_The ring of a cell phone broke the silence, and it took Tony to check his phone before they realised it was hers. Only as she answered the call, did she take her hand from his chest, which had been resting there since their 'slip'._

"You okay, Ziva?" His low, husky voice pulled her back from her daydream. She turned her head, rolling it against the wall, to meet his gaze.

"Yes, just… thinking." She gave a small smile, an effort to reassure him that she was okay.

"About what, if I may ask?" He undid the top button of his shirt and began to loosen his tie. His eyes never leaving hers.

"The bomb. The explosion. The _elevator._"

"Me too." Her eyes widened as his words registered in her mind. She definitely did not expect him to say _that. _She was anticipating a joke; a witty comment; a movie reference. Not a meaningful, two worded sentence that made her heart flutter. No, _definitely _not that.

She watched him finish fiddling with his tie. She was speechless. What was she to say to that?

They sat in silence, watching each other watch the other. Then Tony spoke up.

"What did you mean when you said 'Well, no, Tony's never going to change'?"

"When?"

"When your father called and offered to help us find Dearing." She thought back to that moment.

'_My father says it's all over the news in Israel.' She covered the mouthpiece of her phone with her hand, directing her speech to Tony._

'_Can you ask The Great Eli David if maybe he could help us find Harper Dearing?'_

'_He's actually offering that.'_

'_Oh, fantastic. Well, while we're asking favours here, is there any way he can get us OUT OF THIS ELEVATOR?'_

'_Yeah… Well no, Tony's never going to change, Abba. And we are fine. We are fine, yes.'_

Of course, she had never meant that in a bad way. She would never want Tony to change. He is perfect the way he is. But obviously he was unsure about that, so she clarified.

"Tony," she sat up and turned her whole body to face him, "I was trying to defend you. My father has never really… liked you. And I do not want you to change just because there are a few people in this world that do not like you for who you are, my father included," she took one of his hands in both of hers, "Over the years that I have known you, I have watched as you've grown into a more mature, caring man. But you are still _Tony_. You are still the man who occasionally acts as a child. You are still the man that makes jokes at crime scenes to lighten the mood. You are still the man that the team and I love. We do not want you to change who you are. _I _do not want you to change who you are, because then you would not be Tony. And that would mean that I would no longer have you in my life," she gave his hand a gentle squeeze, "And yes, Tony, I do consider you to be in my life. You are the closest person, the closest friend, to me, and I could not bear to lose that; I could not bear to lose _you._ I guess… I could not live without you."

Silence.

Did she really just say all of that? Did she really just show her true feelings for him?

She could feel her heart race; her pulse quicken. She searched his eyes for an answer. They were soft, caring. Definitely _not _angry. His mouth opened, a reply forming on his tongue.

"Ziva, I-"

The heavy doors of the walk in freezer swung open and Special Agent's Gibbs and McGee stormed in, checking the freezer for an enemy before seeing Tony and Ziva on the floor against the wall.

"DiNozzo, David, you guys okay?" Gibbs and McGee holstered their weapons as Palmer steered the gurney through the doorway.

"Yeah, Boss. We're fine." Tony stood and offered his hand to Ziva, helping her to her feet.

"I want an incident report from both of you by Monday. For now; get some rest over the weekend. I'll call if I need you." The three of them watched as Gibbs strode over to Palmer who was analysing the body.

"How'd you two manage to get locked in a freezer?"

"Long story McGoo. Don't you have to help Gibbs with something?"

"I'm just glad you guys are safe." McGee gave a nod and a smile as he began towards Gibbs and Palmer.

**A/N: **Thank for reading! Reviews are always appreciated. Let me know if you want this as a multichapter.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Thank you guys so much for all the reviews I received within an hour of posting! So, as you wished, here is the second chapter to 'Freezer'. Enjoy. Also, I uploaded chapter one again as I found a few errors. Nothing that will change the plot/events, just spelling/grammar.

Ziva sat, curled up on her bed, reading in the soft yellow glow of her bed side lamp. After she had arrived home this evening, she had showered and changed into a singlet and lose track-pants, and decided to lie in bed and read until she fell asleep. However, that plan went down the drain when she found that she couldn't concentrate on her book. The conversation she and Tony shared in the freezer earlier that evening kept replaying in her mind.

'_You are still the man that the team and I love.'… 'And yes, Tony, I do consider you to be in my life.'… 'I could not bear to lose you. I guess… I could not live without you.'_

What had she done? She could not believe that she had let that out into the open. She practically poured her heart out to him, and she didn't even get to hear his reply.

What would he have said if they didn't get interrupted?

'_Ziva, I-'_

Ziva, I _what_? What was the end to that sentence? '_Ziva, I don't feel the same way about you.' 'Ziva, I don't want to talk about this right now.' 'Ziva, I don't love you.'_

To tell you the truth, all of those felt like a kick in the stomach. Hearing any of those words from her partner would really make her question her judgement. And honestly, that last one was the worst. Listening to the man that you love tell you that he does not reciprocate those feelings. Well that, to her, was more painful than anything she had experienced. Physical pain could heal. Physical pain could be masked, or numbed by medication. But that type of pain, _emotional_ pain; there isn't any drug in the world that could heal that. She could not imagine anything worse. And that's when she realised something. You're not supposed to feel this way about your partner; you're not supposed to feel this way about your friend. These emotions, what she was experiencing now, those were the emotions you feel towards a _lover. _ And that's when it hit her; she _loves _Tony. Her colleague; her partner; her best friend. She _loves_ him. Whenever he speaks, she listens. Wherever he walks, she follows. Whatever he does, she's there to help him.

'_Well it seems to me, the person who got the job over you was just more… qualified.' She pushed herself off the interrogation wall and walked to the table in the middle of the room where Tony and their suspect sat. She was shocked at how narrow minded this man was._

'_Here we go. Typical feminazi blindly defending her own.' She was finding it hard to hold back her anger and disgust over this man._

'_Excuse me?' She leant both hands on the table._

'_You heard me.'_

_Tony pipped up from next to her. 'You may not have noticed, pal, but that's not a swastika hanging around my partner's neck.'_

'_Wow, talk about déjà vu. I mean it's like the same interview. Right down to the whipped boyfriend.'_

'_Whipped?' Tony looked slightly confused at this statement._

'_Boyfriend?'_

'_Yeah. The lovesick puppy that's always hanging over Midge and her every word. Oh yeah, she had that guy wrapped up big time.'_ _They both shared a glance with each other before they continued the interview._

Did their suspect, Craig Wilson, actually mean what he had said? That Tony was like a lovesick puppy, hanging off her every word?

Her thoughts were interrupted by someone knocking on her door, so she folded the corner of her page and closed her book, leaving it on her bedside table as she made her way to the front door. She checked the peephole to find Tony standing on the other side, wearing the same suit as earlier, minus his jacket. She looked back over her shoulder to see it slung over the back of her sofa, so she made a mental note to make sure he took it with him when he left. She opened the door and stepped aside, allowing him to enter.

"Would you like a drink, Tony?" She walked into the kitchen and grabbed two glasses.

"Sure, water is fine." She poured the two glasses of water and looked up to see him on the other side of the counter, his hair slightly messy and a thin layer of stubble covering his jaw. She refilled the bottle and placed it back in the fridge, handing him his glass as they sat side by side on the sofa.

"What you said to me today, in the freezer… did you mean it?" She watched his hands as he drew tiny patterns in the condensation of the glass. He was nervous; unsure.

_Just tell the truth_ she thought. There was no point in denying what she had said earlier; that would just lead to an argument. And she did not want to, nor would she ever, betray his trust. They had known each other for so long; they had worked together for so long; they had been friends for so long. And lying to him would destroy that; it would destroy _them._ So she chose to continue with the truth.

"Of course I did, Tony. I would never lie to you." She looked over to meet his gaze and saw the corner of his mouth twitch. He _smiled. _

"I know you wouldn't, Zi. I just… thought you were trying to make me feel better." His eyes met hers, and she saw the insecurity evident within his beautifully hazel-green orbs. She never thought she'd see Tony like this. He was a DiNozzo, after all. He was known for his witty charm, good looks, and confidence with women. But here, now, she was seeing a more toned down, mature DiNozzo. And she liked it. It demonstrated that he wasn't just a good looking man with humour and charm. No, he was much more than that.

"Lying to you would not make you feel any better." She reached over and squeezed his forearm in reassurance. He placed his hand atop hers and squeezed back.

They sat there in silence, staring into each other's eyes. Then Ziva spoke the question that had been bugging her ever since they left the freezer.

"Earlier today, what were you going to say before we were interrupted by Gibbs and McGee?" She searched his eyes for a hint as to what his answer would be.

"I… I don't know." He hesitated and looked back to his glass that was now on the table, the condensation dripping onto the clear glass table top. "No… Sorry. I did, well… I _do_ know what to say, but I just… can't find the right words to say it." He took his hand from hers and rubbed it over his face and through his hair in frustration. "It's… frustrating."

She studied him; his head in his hands, each elbow resting on their respective knee. He looked tired, defeated, like he had been over thinking what he wanted to say.

"It is okay, Tony." She placed a hand on his back and rubbed a soothing pattern in an attempt to calm him down. She felt him take in a long, deep breath as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"No, it's-" her hand dropped down from his back as he stood abruptly, "I'm sorry, Ziva. I'll go." He ran his hand though his hair and stepped past the sofa towards the door.

"Tony." She kept her voice soft, but he did not stop. "_Tony._" She tried to keep her voice as gentle as possible, but couldn't help the slight annoyance that was evident in her tone. He stopped and turned to her, his defeated gaze lifting from the floor to her mahogany orbs. She took a step towards him, her arm outstretched with his jacket in her hand.

"Here, I forgot to give it back to you before I left." She smiled softly, trying to reassure him that she wasn't angry with him. He took a step closer to her and relieved her of the jacket.

"Thanks." She felt his lightly calloused hand take hers and squeeze gently, so she returned the gesture.

"You will find a way to say it eventually." They walked to the door together; sides bumping with every step they took. She reached forwards and opened the door for him.

"Take care, Zi."

She lifted her hand to his cheek, gently brushing her thumb across it. "You too, Tony." She dropped her hand and stepped back as he turned and made his way down the hallway.

**A/N: **Well… this was rushed, but I feel okay with it. There will be more chapters, so there is no need to panic just yet. There will be a fantastic make out scene… because I know how much we all want that to happen. I just have to find the right time to do it… and I have a pretty good idea as to when that will be. Hang in there! Oh, and if my next update(s) is after the next episode (10x03 'Phoenix') I may include aspects of Tiva/cases to aid in making this seem more realistic. Thanks for sticking around!

- Evie.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **So I'd just like to thank every single one of you who have taken the time to review this fic. I mean, it gives me a hell of a lot more motivation to write when I know that people are reading this, and _enjoying _it… I hope. Any way, this is the third instalment to 'Freezer', so if you're still reading; thanks for sticking with it!

The clock on Ziva's bedside table clicked over to 5:30 am. Without the alarm sounding, she opened her eyes and rolled onto her back. It was a ritual now; waking up at the same time every morning. There was no need for her alarm to go off; the shrieking tone would just put her in a bad mood anyway.

She slipped out from under the white sheets and headed for her bathroom. She cupped the running water from her porcelain tap in her hands and splashed it onto her face, sighing as the cool liquid refreshed her tired features.

Breakfast was quick; just two slices of toast, a banana and a cup of juice. She placed her dishes next to the sink and made her way towards her bedroom, picking out a pair of black skinny jeans and a short sleeved, lose fitting white top. She left her hair down in a relaxed manner, sitting on the foot of her bed to slip on her black ballet flats. She definitely was not in the mood for chasing a suspect in heels today. She slipped her sunglasses on her head and made for the door, grabbing her bag and keys on the way.

"NCIS! We'd like to ask you a few questions." She and Tony both held up their badges to Lieutenant Jacob Shields who was carrying his groceries to the front door of his house. However, as soon as he saw the two agents, he dropped his bags and ran.

"Why do they always run," Tony exclaimed before he set off to chase down Shields.

"I will go around the back." Ziva headed around the other side of the house, sighing as she saw Lieutenant Shields jump his back fence. _Thank God I didn't wear heels today. _She picked up her pace and leapt up onto the fence, hearing Tony right behind her. She swung her legs over quickly before starting her sprint again, Tony landing less than a second after her.

She looked up to see Shields enter a lifeless construction site. Tony and herself approached the incomplete building, scaffolding and stray slabs of concrete littering the floors. Tony motioned for them to split up, so she headed towards the left side of the building as he headed right.

She could hear Tony's footsteps as they cautiously advanced through each room, whispering "Clear" once they had secured each one. Finally, Ziva came to the last room on her side. It was what looked to be the beginning of a kitchen. Carefully, she stepped over a plank of wood, her gun poised and ready. She froze as she heard movement from a crevice in which a fridge would be. Taking a breath, she decided to announce her presence.

"NCIS! Come out with your hands above your head!" She kept her gun trained on the area where Lieutenant Shields sought cover. Behind her she heard footsteps, so she turned to see Tony jogging up to her with his gun at his side. She nodded her head in the direction of the crevice where Shields slowly stood, making his way out with both of his hands above his head, one holding a .44 Magnum.

"Gun on the bench," Tony's voice boomed from next to her.

"Okay… okay. I'm putting it down."

Ziva watched as Tony holstered his weapon and retrieved his hand cuffs, striding towards Lieutenant Shields who was standing behind the bench, hands still behind his head. She was eyeing off Shields until a glimmer behind his head caught her attention.

"Tony!" But before he could react to her warning, Shields pulled a knife from his back and lunged towards Tony. Hearing the shear agony in his shout was the most torturous thing she had endured.

She watched in shock as Tony staggered backwards and hit the wall, leaning against it as he clutched his shoulder. She leapt into action, sprinting to Tony's side as he groaned in pain. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Shields reach for his gun that was sitting on the bench. In one quick and swift motion, Ziva pulled her handgun from her side and fired two rounds; one into his ankle and the second into the opposite knee. He was definitely _not _getting away this time.

She holstered her gun and turned to Tony, a smirk plastered on his pained face.

"Sharp shootin', Zi." His voice sounded forced, like he was trying to hide his pain. She smiled and sighed in relief. At least it was just his shoulder. If it was his abdomen, then they'd have a lot to worry about right now.

She pulled his hand away from his wound and slid his jacket off, trying not to cause him too much discomfort. The bleeding seemed to be easing off, so she could assume that the blade did not perforate his artery.

"Tony, put pressure on your wound. I need your tie and belt." She knew from the minute it left her mouth that what she had said sounded obscure.

She watched his expression take on that of confusion, so she answered the unspoken question for him.

"I am going to use your tie and belt to stop the bleeding."

"Oh, sure."

She stood close to him as she undid his tie, his unsteady breaths tickling her cheek. Her gaze kept switching from his eyes to his chest, the light covering of hair emerging as she undid the top two buttons of his shirt to pull his tie off. She slung it over her shoulder and moved her hands down to his belt, taking a deep breath in to try to ease her nerves. Since when did she get so nervous whilst undoing a man's belt? Well, for starters… this man _was _Tony. Attempting to push aside all of her task irrelevant thoughts, she slid his belt from their loops and began in folding up the tie to form a pad which would, in theory, help stop the bleeding.

"Hold this on your shoulder." She handed him the folded tie which he held over his wound. She slid the belt under his armpit and over the top of his shoulder, securing the tie in place by buckling the belt. "Done. Does it feel okay?" She looked up at him, his eyes fixed on hers. She examined the stubble along his jaw as he spoke.

"It feels great. Thanks." His lips formed into their usual charming DiNozzo smile, yet this time there was a hint of something else. Something more intimate; something she couldn't quite put her finger on.

"You are welcome." She patted his chest and stepped back, reaching for her cell phone. "I should probably call Gibbs and let him know what happened. Keep a camera on Shields."

"Eye. 'Keep and _eye _on Shields'. And sure… it doesn't really look like he's going anywhere." She looked over to Lieutenant Shields who was lying on the floor, passed out from the pain of being shot. She glanced back at Tony before she headed into the next room, dialling Gibbs' number.

"How are you feeling?" She gazed up from her computer screen to look over to Tony. He sat at his desk wearing the same shirt; a dark blood stain and a sling evidence of the violent confrontation he had with Shields earlier today.

"A little buzzed up from the pain killers, but all is good. And you, my ninja?" She smiled at the use of the many nicknames he had for her.

"I am fine. A little tired, but fine." She watched him attempt to type up his report with one hand. He wasn't doing a very good job at it. "Are you sure that you are okay?"

He stopped typing and looked up to meet her gaze. "I'm sure, Zi." She examined the expression on his face. Slight fatigue. Possible contentment. Confliction? Was it her, or did it look like he wanted to say something to her. Well obviously he did; given what they went through a few nights back. So she decided to leave it, allow him to get his words right. He needed time, and she was willing to give that to him. She remembered back a few years ago; how much time he gave her to finally come to her senses and realise that killing Michael was not his intention. That he was there to talk to _her_; to save her from what the Mossad had planned for her. Of course she would give him time. He could have as much time as he needed, given what he has done for her in the past.

"Why don't you leave your report for tomorrow? I am sure Gibbs will understand, given the circumstances." She logged off her computer and shut it down, then started to pack up her things.

"Nah, it's okay. I'm almost done, anyway."

She grabbed her bag and walked over to his desk, crossing her arms and leaning one hip against the side of his desk. She looked down at him, concerned. "I am glad that you are okay, Tony." She placed her hand over his on the keyboard.

"I know… Thank you." He squeezed her hand back, making her smile.

"Call me if you need anything." She let his hand go and stepped from his desk, heading for the elevator.

"Sure. Goodnight, Zi."

She turned to face him, walking backwards as she spoke. "Goodnight, Tony."

She dropped her keys onto the stand by her front door and made her way towards her bedroom. Today had been a long day; filling out paperwork, waiting for Shields to get out of surgery and wake up so that they could take his statement, and then finally spending a good half hour with Tony trying to convince Palmer that he was okay to go home without any further medical attention. All in all, she was happy that today was over, and that she now had the time to relax and put her feet up.

She placed her bag next to her bed and sat down on the edge, slipping her shoes off. She was just about to lie back before a knock at her door stopped her. She stood and walked to the door, opening it to find Tony on the other side. She gazed at him, still wearing his bloodstained shirt. His tie was missing, the first few buttons of his shirt were undone, and his hair looked like he had run his hand through it a hundred times. She was shocked to look up and see a single, silent tear roll slowly down his cheek.

His voice was low and unsteady.

"I love you, Ziva."

**A/N: **Sorry for the wait; exams are creeping up on me again. I should finish the final chapter in a week or two, so don't panic; I haven't abandoned this fic! And sorry for ending it here… but I guess it ads a bit of drama and suspense, right? Any way, I shall see you guys again soon. Don't give up on me yet! And thanks for sticking around!


End file.
